Diabetes and Covid-19: What to do
While it is unlikely that people with diabetes are more likely to contract Covid-19, they are certainly more likely to have serious complications if they contract it.
The American Diabetes Association, in a release, has stated that people with diabetes are generally more likely to have severe symptoms and complications when they are infected with any virus.
Individuals affected by diabetes, especially type-2, have an impaired innate and adaptive immune response, which can lead to abrupt systemic metabolic alteration. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported an elevated mortality rate from Covid-19 among individuals with diabetes, increasing from 2.3 percent in the general population to 7.3 percent in people with diabetes.
However, the American Diabetes Association reassures that chances of getting severely sick from Covid-19 are mitigated if diabetes is well-managed. The drill is simple, and perhaps obvious too: routine home exercise, maintaining a balanced diet of whole grains and vegetables. One addition that is prescribed is to cut down on smoking since it can help provide the lungs with increased resilience during sickness.
Further, diabetic patients are asked to reduce their stress levels, even more so during the pandemic. Elevated stress can increase blood sugar in diabetic patients, making them more susceptible to severe Covid-19 symptoms.
Under the current circumstances, when many are in fear and stress of contracting Covid, it would help diabetic patients to secure themselves as best as possible with masks whenever they step outside, distancing, and a good disinfecting routine after they come back home.
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